Welcomes and farewells at feastday Mass

The Mass for the 31 July feast of St Ignatius, at Gardiner St church, celebrated by Archbishop Diarmuid Martin, was the occasion for the handover of service from Fr John Dardis (left in photo) to Fr Tom Layden (right) as the Provincial of the Irish Jesuits. A short letter of appointment from Fr General Adolfo Nicolas was read by Fr John, after which the new Provincial responded, asking for prayers for his term of office. He noted that, as well as being ordained in Gardiner St church, he had worked there a few times – as a novice lighting the lamps for the Novena of Grace, and later as the preacher of that novena and of the novena to the Sacred Heart. He was also involved in linking the Gardiner St church with Belvedere College when he worked there as chaplain. The congregation warmly responded to his words and to the congratulations of Archbishop Martin.